Cost of Living in Panama

What is the general cost of living in Panama?
What does it cost to call the United States?

What is the general cost of living in Panama?
Obviously, cost of living is determined by your lifestyle, but here is an idea of what you might expect to spend to live quite comfortably in Panama City, per month:

    * Housing (rental of a two-bedroom apartment)—$800
    * Utilities (electricity, gas, water) — $300
    * Household help (maid three days a week, 4 hours per day)—$135
    * Groceries—$300
    * Maintenance and fuel for one car—$150
    * Entertainment (dining out and other activities)—$150
    * Health care —$150
    * Incidentals (clothes, household items, etc.)—$100
    * Communication: phone, Internet, cable TV—$100

Monthly total: $2,185

What does it cost to call the United States?
The standard charges are $1.12 per minute, Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 72 cents per minute, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; and 54 cents per minute from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. It’s only 54 cents per minute all day Sunday. There is a $1 additional charge for each call. You can call direct by dialing 001 before the area code. The operators speak English should you have problems. You can practically eliminate these rates by using a VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) service. See www.Vonage.com and www.Skype.com.